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Solar Windward Photo

About Me

In meteorology, aviation, and maritime navigation, the term "windward" refers to the direction from which the wind, weather, and ocean currents approach. As an outdoor photographer by nature, I tack into the solar wind, which is where I get the name "Solar Windward." My name is Erik. I'm a native San Diegan and a recent SDSU graduate. I've done some photography on a semi professional level, and made some interesting new friends among this community in recent years. I enjoy trying new things with my camera, both in the field and the studio, and I really love that 'aha!' moment when I figure out something new.

Recently, I moved to Las Vegas, which has been an entirely new adventure. However, I've been taking a hiatus from photography for the foreseeable future in order to pursue other goals. I hope to get back to it eventually, and in the meantime, I'm trying to keep up with the craft, and maybe get in a shoot or two now and then...

>>Okay, so now that all the "Hi, how do you do's" are out of the way, let's get down to business, shall we?

Everybody in this game would rather be paid than to do this for free. That includes me, and it includes you too. It's a perfectly reasonable thing to ask, so please feel free! However, before we go making any deals, let's go over a few expectations...

Since TFP is the easiest, let's go over that first. If we're trading our time, we should both get something out of it that we find beneficial. If you're just getting into your craft, then working with me should be well worth your time simply for the experience, not to mention the images. If you've got a specific outfit or MUA you'd like to work with, I'm usually glad to accommodate, but any additional expenses that you insist on, I will insist that you pay for them yourself. MUA's will usually ask for a kit fee, which is a reasonable request, even when they're working TFP. (Speaking of MUA's, I'd like to collaborate more often, so I'll try to arrange to include someone for as many shoots as possible.)

TF also doesn't necessarily have to be for prints or digital images either. I've traded shoot time for wardrobe, meals, lodging, accessories, you name it! I'm always willing to barter a little, which brings me to the next condition...

If I'm paying you; (or trading something that would otherwise cost one of us money) that makes me the customer, which means I'll be shooting for my book, not yours. Of course, I'm happy to share the images, but if you're the one getting compensated for your time, I don't want to be told what to shoot. I'm always completely respectful of boundaries, but please don't ask me to shoot what you want and then expect me to pay you on top of that.
Let's face it, there are plenty of intermediate models out there who are more than willing to shoot TFP for casual, fashion and even swimwear. I usually prefer to help them with their book than to pay for shots I already have in mine. I respect your time and experience, but if it's worth more to you than just the images, it's only fair to expect the same in return.

If you're paying me; That puts my professional reputation on the line, so I'm absolutely going to insist on meeting with you well in advance and discussing with you exactly what images you're going to want. That means I MUST be able to meet any client(s) beforehand, and have a chance to prepare an estimate for any lighting, equipment, assistants, additional models, MUA's, or whatever else I might need to get the job done right.
One of the worst nightmares of any photographer is to finish a shoot for someone else, and then hear them say that they wanted something that you didn't deliver, or failed to do correctly. I've had it happen, and it's no fun. I'll always put everything I've got into any shooting situation, but if the job requires something I can't provide, I'm going to ask you to do so, and if I believe a job is beyond my capabilities, I'm not too proud to recommend someone else to get you what you're after.

One more thing; if you should cancel or make an excuse not to show up less than 48 hours before we were planning to shoot, you can expect an invoice for my time before I'll consider rescheduling with you, REGARDLESS of what arrangement we came to in the first place. I understand that things come up that we didn't plan for, but canceling an appointment the day before is disrespectful and unprofessional, but unfortunately in my experience, it happens from time to time. (Particularly during exams, so if you're a student, please make sure your schedule is clear prior to booking, and that you don't actually need the time to study.)

Credits

I've worked with many talented individuals, both on and off Model Mayhem. Professional or personal references will gladly be provided upon request.

"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."
-Albert Einstein